As if the pandemic and tumult of 2020 weren’t enough, last year also delayed a slew of hotly anticipated films, starting from action blockbusters like “Black Widow” and “No Time to Die” to the Timothée Chalamet-led sci-fi epic “Dune,” which can now release both in theaters and on HBO Max in 2021.
With coronavirus vaccinations rolling out fast, shuttered theaters are reopening their doors, letting film lovers view previously delayed releases and new films. The year also will see the debuts of long-awaited sequels, like the horror film “A Quiet Place Part II” and “Space Jam: a replacement Legacy” starring NBA superstar LeBron James.
On March 23, Disney announced an overhaul of its remaining slate of 2021 films. Despite some delays in expected release dates, “Black Widow” will still hit screens come summer. the newest Marvel entry, along side the live-action “Cruella,” will simultaneously release in theaters and on Disney Plus with Premier Access, which costs a $30 rent . For Broadway fans, June will bring Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical “In the Heights,” featuring a predominantly Latinx cast.
Read on to ascertain all the highly anticipated films of 2021.
Luca
Photo : Pixar
(June 18)
Set along the Italian Riviera, Pixar’s coming-of-age story about one young boy’s unforgettable summer rests on a deeply-held secret: his ally may be a sea monster from another world. The cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Maya Rudolph, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Marco Barricelli and Jim Gaffigan.
Fast & Furious 9
Photo : Giles Keyte/Universal
(June 25)
This ninth installment of the beloved action franchise again follows Dominic Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, whose crew and relations collaborate to battle one among the world’s most talented assassins and high-performance drivers — his estranged brother, Jakob, played by John Cena. The new movie also sees the return of Han Lue, a fan-favorite character thought to be long-dead. Watch the trailer here.
Zola
Photo : A24
(June 30)
Based on the viral 2015 Twitter thread, what could possibly be this summer’s wildest movie centers on Zola (Taylour Paige), a Detroit waitress who befriends Stefani (Riley Keough), an exotic dancer who convinces her new friend to hitch her on a road trip to a high-end strip club in Florida where they will make a fortune in only one night of dancing. within the face of Stefani’s pimp (Colman Domingo) and idiot boyfriend (Nicholas Braun), Tampa gangsters and a lot of debauchery, the 48-hour adventure spirals out of control.
Black Widow
Photo : Courtesy of Marvel
(July 9)
Scarlett Johansson is finally getting a standalone Latrodectus mactans movie. The long-awaited Marvel film, also starring David Harbour, Florence Pugh and O-T Fagbenle, is about after 2016’s “Captain America: war .” it'll see Natasha Romanoff on the run and made to confront her past as a spy, long before she became an Avenger. Watch a special clip here.
Forever Purge
Photo : Courtesy of Universal Studios
(July 9)
“The Purge” series is about to return to an end with its fifth movie. With no official description from Universal Pictures, the plotline remains relatively unknown. However, Will Patton revealed during a recent interview with Collider that he plays a rancher. Back in January, director Everardo Gout revealed to Total Film that it takes place following the events of “Purge: Election Year” and things take a turn when a gaggle of outsiders continue purging beyond the allotted amount of your time . The movie also features Josh Lucas, Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Cassidy Freeman and Veronica Falcón.
Space Jam: a replacement Legacy
Photo : HBO Max
(July 16)
NBA superstar LeBron James teams up with Bugs Bunny and therefore the remainder of the Looney Tunes crew for this long-awaited sequel to the 1996 classic, which debuts on HBO Max and in theaters. The family comedy, directed by Malcolm D. Lee, includes Sonequa Martin-Green, Don Cheadle and NBA players like Klay Thompson, Chris Paul and more.
Escape Room 2
Photo : Courtesy of David Bloomer/Sony Pictures
(July 16)
Director Adam Robitel and producer Neal H. Moritz return for the sequel to the 2019 psychological thriller, additionally to actors Taylor Russell and Logan Miller. Plot details are scarce, but we all know Indya Moore, Holland Roden, Isabelle Fuhrman, Carlito Olivero, Thomas Cocquerel and James Frain joined the cast and there's likely to be another life-and-death game propelling the storyline.
The Green Knight
Photo : Eric Zachanowich
(July 30)
The Green Knight isn't this tale’s hero, but rather a big emerald-skinner stranger who Gawain (Dev Patel) must confront. during this fantasy adventure, King Arthur’s reckless, headstrong nephew comes face-to-face with ghosts, giants, thieves and schemers, all the while learning to raised define his own character and prove his worth within the eyes of his family and therefore the kingdom. It also features Alicia Vikander, Sean Harris and Joel Edgerton.
Jungle Cruise
Photo : Courtesy of Disney
(July 30)
Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson star within the adventure fantasy film supported Disneyland’s park ride where alittle riverboat transports a gaggle of travelers down the Amazon through a supernatural jungle. Watch the trailer here.
The Suicide Squad
Photo : Courtesy of Warner Bros.
(Aug. 6)
Directed by James Gunn and premiering on both HBO Max and in theaters, the “Suicide Squad” standalone sequel follows the magazine roots of Harley Quinn and her gang of supervillains, instead of continuing the narrative of the 2016 film. The star-studded cast features Viola Davis, Margot Robbie, Taika Waititi, Sylvester Stallone, Idris Elba, Jai Courtney and Pete Davidson.
Demonic
Photo : Uwe Geisler/Geisler-Fotopress/pi
(Aug. 20)
Written and directed by Neill Blokamp, this horror thriller sees a girl unleash terrifying demons when supernatural forces at the basis of a decades old rift between mother and daughter are ruthlessly revealed. The cast includes Carly Pope, Chris William Martin and Michael Rogers.
Candyman
Photo : Universal Pictures/YouTube
(Aug. 27)
Audiences were deeply excited to ascertain Nia DaCosta’s combat the “Candyman” last October, but like many films on this list, it had been pushed. We’ve only seen glimpses of the director’s vision including a few trailers and this haunting, shadow puppet short which she released with these thoughts via her Twitter account: “CANDYMAN, at the intersection of white violence and black pain, is about unwilling martyrs. The people they were, the symbols we turn them into, the monsters we are told they need to are .”
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who recently won an Emmy for his work on “Watchmen,” stars because the film’s lead and Oscar-winning director Jordan Peele co-wrote the script along side DaCosta and Win Rosenfeld. If you’re trying to find something to tide you over until August, we strongly recommend watching DaCosta’s 2018 feature “Little Woods” (written by DaCosta as well) and getting conversant in her work – you’re getting to be hearing tons from her, as she’s already slated to direct the sequel to “Captain Marvel.”